Understanding Sherlock Holmes
by VioletSparks
Summary: Charlotte or 'Charlie' Hooper was never a normal girl. Being an Empath most people would not understand her. Expect Sherlock Holmes since the age of five it had been Sherlock and Charlie against the world and solving crimes. But when Dr John Watson entered their lives nothing would be the same again for the raging Sociopath and the understanding Empath. Sherlock/OC *FRIENDSHIP*
1. Two Odd Souls

**Hello there and welcome to my new story. Understanding Sherlock Holmes!**

**So this is very new to me and my first ever story I've published. I have so many on my laptop I thought it would be good to actually publish some of them. So I have decided to write up a new Sherlock story with my OC. Charlotte Hooper. I had always wondered what it would be like if Sherlock befriended an Empath so here is my take on what they friendship could be and how it would evolve through the series. This is the first part of the Understanding Sherlock Holmes following A Study in Pink, The Blind Banker and The Great Game. So I hope you enjoy it **

**-VioletSparks Xx **

Sherlock Holmes didn't entertain the idea of friends or friendship. He had acquaintances and knowledge or people. But never friends. Except one, Charlotte Hooper the one woman who could ever put up with his psychotic ways and his blunt deductions. But Charlotte or Charlie as she preferred was not as normal as she appeared. Charlie was never normal; she had a rare gift of being an empathic, of knowing and feeling other people's emotions from a young age. So when Sherlock Holmes came into her life he was the first person she couldn't read. From the Age of six Sherlock kept a firm lid on his emotions and it was Charlie's mission to find them. As for Sherlock Charlie was the first person besides his brother and parents who had accepted him for who he was. To Sherlock Charlie was interesting and thus is excellent skills of deduction were born. It was a tale of two strange souls finding a common enemy. Other children, they couldn't understand these two children who knew so much about them with a single glance. Twenty Four years later and the two of them had become inseparable. However children turned into adults and the world still thought them strange except a handful of people who accepted them. Charlies little sister Molly was among them. Her infatuation with her older sister's friend knew no bounds. Even from the age of three Molly was enthralled with Sherlock even now at twenty seven she was still fumbling with her words in his presence. As it turned out Charlie and Sherlock worked together perfectly, Sherlock deduced the crime and the murder. But Charlie knew about the emotions of the victims and the killer and their relationship to the victim. So when John Watson entered their life they never thought another human could tolerate them let alone be interested with living with one of them.

"You know, you could just move in with me. Then I wouldn't have to go through this tedious task of finding a roommate" Sherlock said not taking his eyes off the sample in the glass dish under the microscope. Charlie sat looking at her note book. Tucking a strand of dark red hair behind her ear and continued to jot down notes and observations from the findings of the three suicides all of them strange. Charlie hated suicides cases too much emotion tied to them.

"Well why did you mention it to Mike then?" she mused. Sherlock looked up at her

"It was a conversation topic, that's what you do with people talk to them, It's very dull" Charlie sighed and looked up at Sherlock

"Sherlock we both know that you need a roommate. You can't pay the rent by yourself and Mrs Hudson is getting more annoyed with your experiments plus it would be nice of you to get to know another human" Charlie smirked as Sherlock rolled his eyes.

"Other people are boring. Plus I have you, why would I need to find another friend" he said turning back to his experiment. Charlie shook her head as she noticed two more people entering the lab.

"I don't know Sherlock, someone could surprise you" Charlie watched from out of the corner of her eye at Mike and the man. He was limping and walking with a cane. Soldier she came to the conclusion. He was confused and a little surprised. "Well bit different from my day" she heard him mutter.

"You have no idea" Mike laughed and smiled to Charlie. She smiled back she liked Mike he was more understanding of her than some of the other doctors in St. Barts.

"Mike can I borrow your phone? There's no signal on mine" Sherlock asked

"What's wrong with the landline? Or use Char's phone?" Sherlock huffed

"She won't let me near it, let alone use it"

"Too bloody right, not after the last time. I had to chance my number" Charlie folded her arms

"It was only one drug lord that knew your number"

"That's one to many if you ask me" She huffed

"Err. Here use mine" the man said holding out his phone

"Oh thank you" Sherlock took the phone taking a quick look at the man and started texting someone

"Brave move" Charlie muttered as she finished her notes and started to pack up her things.

"It's an old friend of mine, John Watson" Mike introduced John. Charlie picked up her bag and coat and moved over to John.

"Charlotte Hooper, but call me Charlie everyone does, except him"

"Your name is Charlotte it's much more agreeable than Charlie" he said still texting

"He always says that" She said to John

"John Watson" he said shaking her hand

"Afghanistan or Iraq" Sherlock asked interrupting them. Charlie watched as John hesitated then looked across to Mike who smiled smugly to Charlie.

"Sorry?" John asked as Charlie watched him carefully

"Which was it- Afghanistan or Iraq" Charlie knew it was Afghanistan from John's reaction. As soon as Sherlock mentioned the name Charlie could feel, pain, pride, sorrow, fear loyalty and hatred all rolling off John.

"It was Afghanistan wasn't it" Charlie whispered

"Um yes, yes it was sorry how did you both know about….?" But both looked up as Molly entered the lab with Sherlock's coffee and Charlie's tea. She gave them both their respectable drinks. Charlie saw that Molly had no lipstick on. A feature that Sherlock now picked up on.

"What happened to the lipstick" he frowned as Charlie rolled her eyes..

"It wasn't working for me" Molly smiled awkwardly

"Really, I thought it was a big improvement. Your moth's too small now" Sherlock remarked taking a sip of the coffee and grimaced. Not good.

"Your mouth is fine Moll's just ignore him. And the lipstick did look lovely on you" Molly smiled gratefully at her older sister.

Molly and Charlotte were as different as you could be. Molly with her blonde hair and Charlie with her red locks. Charlie was taller and curvier were as Molly was smaller and petite. Molly had a more frumpy style with baggy trousers and jumpers where Charlie had a more posh and refined style opting for modest dressed tights, flat shoes and her grey coat. The only trait they shared was their eyes a warm brown colour and their need to help others but both in very different ways. Charlie loved her sister but was worried at her infatuation with Sherlock. And you didn't have to be empathic to know that Sherlock didn't feel the same way about her.

"Okay" Molly directed to Sherlock. She smiled as her sister as she left the lab. An awkward silence filtered the room as Charlie sipped at her tea before Sherlock started talking again.

"How do you feel about the violin?"

"I'm sorry what?" John asked as Sherlock kept typing

"I play the violin when I'm thinking. Sometimes I don't talk for days, on end. I know it bothers Charlotte, would it bother you? Potential flatmates should know the worst about each other" Charlie watched Sherlock's false smile to John.

"Oh you… you told him about me?" John asked Mike

"Not a word"

Charlie smiled as she started to put on her coat

"I did. I told Mike this morning that I must be a difficult man to find a flatmate for. After Charlotte refuses to move in with me. Now he's here just after lunch with an old friend. Clearly just home from military services from Afghanistan. Wasn't a difficult leap"

"I'm afraid this is him being modest" Charlie whispered to John as she passed him walking towards the door.

"How did you both know about Afghanistan?" Sherlock ignored the man's question

"Got my eye on a nice little place in central London, together we should be able to afford it" Sherlock walked towards John now wearing his blue scarf.

"We'll meet you there tomorrow evening. Seven O'clock. Sorry we have to dash. I think I left my riding crop in the mortuary" Sherlock directed the last part to Charlie who groaned

"I'm not going in. I hate that place" Charlie shuddered

"Charlotte they are dead" Sherlock gave her a look

"That doesn't mean that I can't still feel their last emotions" John frowned at their conversation feel emotions? What was that all about he wondered?

"Is that it?"

"Is that what?"

"We've only just met and we're gonna go look at a flat?"

"Problem?"

John looked from Mike to Charlie both smiling at Sherlock. Neither of them was helping John

"We don't know a thing about each other. I don't know where we're meeting. I don't even know your name" John said as Sherlock looked at him

"I know you're an Army doctor and you've been invalided home from Afghanistan I know you've got a brother who's worried about you but you won't go to him for help because you don't approve of him. Possibly because he's an alcoholic, more likely because he recently walked out on his wife. And I know that your therapist thinks your limp is psychosomatic, quite correctly I'm afraid" Charlie didn't need to see Sherlock's face to know it was in a smug grin

"That's enough don't you think?" Charlie called from the door

"Quite right" They both moved off out of the room before Sherlock turned back.

"The names Sherlock Holmes and the address is two two one B Bakers Street. Afternoon"

"Nice to meet you John, see ya around Mike" Mike gave a two finger salute of fare well as they left.

"Yeah they are like that" Mike chuckled as John was left standing completely disoriented at that bizzar introduction

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	2. New Project

**Hello there, its been a while. Sorry about that I have been working in a place with no internet so this update has been a bit longer than i intended it to be. But never fear the new chapter is here. A Quick thank you to the following **

**llama-hunter-on-fire for the favorite **

**and **

**Don't Know Myself **

**ElijahMikealsonfan **

**Kelsey112 for following this story it means a lot so thank you guys :) **

It was six fifty by the time Sherlock and Charlie had gotten in the cab outside Charlies apartment. The two of them were currently not saying much on the journey. Charlie was thinking about her day job of a teaching assistant. A job Sherlock disliked intensity 'You could do more with your ability you know' he would say flippantly as the two of them looked through various murder cases. Charlie on the other hand disagreed. Unlike Sherlock her ability was a lot more personal and sometimes intense reading people's emotions took a lot out of her and years to control. Moving to London the first time was difficult and painful. It took her two weeks just to ignore the emotions she could feel in the building let alone thousands walking down the streets with her. A teacher assistant was exactly what she needed, to help younger children.

"So why did you decide on John Watson?" Charlie finally spoke. Sherlock looked to her, her hair pulled up into a high pony tail. Specks of paint still evident in her fingernails. Her perfume suggested that she had changed clothes from returning from work. Her Grey military style coat covered the white dress with black and light blue flowers that he had caught a glimpse at as she left her apartment building to enter the cab. Beige tights and creams flats. Her usual style, it must have been a long day for her.

"An ex-Army Doctor with a psychosomatic limp!" He stated

"Ahh I see, so he's your new project then" she smirked still looking out of the window, her smirk got bigger when she heard him huff

"Oh please I am not one of your students, he is not my project" She turned to him with one eye brow raised

"Then why else would you take an interest in him?"

"To prove a point" He said in an obvious tone

"Which would be?" she asked as they pulled up outside 221B

"Psychosomatic" He grinned getting out of the cab. Charlie hopped out of the other side and saw John as she paid the cabbie

"Thank you" She handed him the money

"No problem Darling" He smiled and drove off

"Hello" Sherlock said as they both walked up behind him

"Ah, Mr Holmes, Miss Hooper" he greeted them

"Sherlock, please."

"Call me Charlie, John" They both said at the same time. John smiled awkwardly as he shook both their hands

"Well, this is a prime spot. Must be expensive." John remarked looking around the street as Charlie put her hands in her pockets as Sherlock rang the bell

"Oh, Mrs Hudson, the landlady, she's giving me a special deal. Owes me a favour. A few years back, her husband got himself sentenced to death in Florida. I was able to help out." Sherlock said as the huddled at the door. John looked shocked at Sherlock as Charlie tapped her foot.

"Sorry, you stopped her husband being executed?" John asked

"Oh no. I ensured it." Sherlock smiled as Charlie rolled her eyes

"Being rude again" she muttered as Sherlock frowned at her. But didn't reply as the door opened to reveal Mrs Hudson

"Sherlock, hello, oh Charlie dear what a nice surprise" She hugged Sherlock first then turned to Charlie and hugged her

"How the teaching going dear" she asked the younger woman

"Very well" Charlie smiled at the older woman

"Oh how wonderful"

"If I may interrupt, Mrs Hudson, Doctor John Watson"

The two of them exchanged pleasantries then all three were ushered inside and up the stairs. Sherlock lead the way as John followed after him with Charlie patiently walking behind him. She could feel humiliation from him as they all waited for the soldier to slowly climb up the stairs. Once they reached their destination Sherlock opened the door to what Charlie puts it organised chaos. All of Sherlock's possessions and boxes littered the apartment.

"Well, this could be very nice. Very nice indeed." Charlie smiled she could feel his uncertainty to the apartment.

"Yes. Yes, I think so. My thoughts precisely." Sherlock agreed quickly, Charlie turned her back and walked into the kitchen still smiling knowing what was coming next

"So I went straight ahead and moved in."

"Soon as we get all this rubbish cleaned out" they said at the same moment both looking at each other ...

"Oh." John said embarrassment radiating off him, Charlie shook her head and shrugged her coat off revealing the white dress and black and blue flower print on the bodice.

"So this is all ..." John looked around and the clutter

"Well, obviously I can, um, straighten things up a bit." Sherlock made an effort to straighten up his posessions as Charlie entered the living room

"He was never a tidy kid, organised Chaos he would call it. Drove his parents mad" Charlie whispered to John as they watched Sherlock throwing folders into a box

"So you've known him for a long time then?" John whispered back as they watched Sherlock take unopened envelopes to the fireplace and stab them onto the mantelpiece with a knife

"You have no idea" John was about to answer back when an item on the mantelpiece caught his attention.

"That's a skull."

"Friend of ours. When I say 'friend' ..." Sherlock tried to explain but was interrupted by Mrs Hudson

What do you think, then, Doctor Watson? There's another bedroom upstairs if you'll be needing two bedrooms." She asked as Sherlock took off his coat

"Of course we'll be needing two." John frowned at her as Charlie took a cup of tea and sat on the couch

"Oh, don't worry; there's all sorts round here. Mrs Turner next door's got married ones. But I think these two are made for each other, don't you think Doctor" Mrs Hudson gestured to Sherlock and Charlie. John flailed at bit, how was he suppose to know

"Errr, I guess but I don't think I can comment. I don't know them that well. Although these seam to know everything about me" He whispered the last part

"Don't fret John, Charlotte and I are friends, I'd even dare to call her my closest friend" Sherlock said as he started to put stuff away

"I forgot how charming you can be Sherlock, but he's right. Were just friends nothing more" Charlie gave John a reassuring smile.

"Say what you like dear's, but I know a perfect match when I see one" Mrs Hudson said walking away to the kitchen

"Tell that to your husband" Sherlock said

"Sherlock" Charlie reprimanded him. He gave her a surprised look

"Oh, Sherlock. The mess you've made." Mrs Hudson called from the Kitchen and started to tide up.

"Here let me help you Mrs Hudson" Charlie got up and walked past John who sat himself down in the arm chair.

"I looked you up on the internet last night." Charlie heard John said from the kitchen, she and Sherlock exchanged a look before she put some dirty dishes in the sink.

"Anything interesting?"

"Found your website, The Science of Deduction."

"What did you think?" Charlie could practically hear the smile on Sherlock's face. Charlie looked over to see Sherlock's face fall. Clearly John wasn't a fan.

"You said you could identify a software designer by his tie and an airline pilot by his left thumb."

"Yes; and I can read your military career in your face and your leg, and your brother's drinking habits in your mobile phone." Sherlock said in an obvious tone.

"How?"

Sherlock smiled at John and turned away and Charlie and Mrs Hudson entered the room with older woman reading the newspaper

"What about these suicides then, Sherlock? I thought that'd be right up your street. Three exactly the same." She commented still reading the article

Charlie watched Sherlock look out of the window and stare. She saw the blue flasing lights faintly and walked over and stood next to him

"Four." she said looking at the police can and then back at Sherlock

"There's been a fourth. And there's something different this time." Sherlock agreed with Charlie

"A fourth?" Mrs Hudson said worriedly. Charlie turned and watched Grey Lestrade come bounding into the apartment. Apparently the door must have not been locked

"Where?" Sherlock said, getting straight to the point

"Brixton, Lauriston Gardens." Lestrade answered looking between Sherlock and Charlie

"What's new about this one?" Charlie asked folding her arms across her chest

"Yes I was thinking that. You wouldn't have come to get me if there wasn't something different." Sherlock stood behind Charlie looking over her head

"You know how they never leave notes?"

"Yeah." Charlie frowned

"This one did. Will you both come?"

"Who's on forensics?" Sherlock asked Charlie felt Lestrade feel worried and a bit exasperated

"It's Anderson." Now Charlie knew why Lestrade was worried. Anderson and Sherlock were never a good mix

"Anderson won't work with me." Sherlock grimaced

"Well, he won't be your assistant."

"We need an assistant." Sherlock stressed. Over the years everyone through Charlie was Sherlock assistant. It was Anderson who asked and got a very bad blood nose. Ever since then it was both Sherlock and Charlie on the same level. Not one without the other.

"Will you come?" Lestrade was nearly thinking of dragging both of them out of the flat. But knowing how stubborn they both were the outcome would not be in his favour.

"Not in a police car. We'll be right behind." Charlie said as Sherlock turned to face the window. Lestrade looked at Sherlock then at Charlie

"Thank you." He said to them. He gave a quick look to John and Mrs Hudson then hurried off down the stairs. Sherlock waited until the front door slammed shut then. Clenched his fists and jumped into the air and grabbed Charlie and picked her up briefly and spun her around. Both of them shrieking. John was taken back at the sudden display of affection and familiarity

Brilliant! Yes!" Sherlock yelled putting Charlie down. She smiled and hurried into the kitchen to grab her coat

"Ah, four serial suicides, and now a note! Oh, it's Christmas!" he to picked up his coat and scarf and headed for the kitchen

"I told you, see I was right" Charlie said to him as she shrugged on her coat. He grinned at her as he too put his coat on

"When are you ever wrong" he winked at her

"Mrs Hudson, I'll be late. Might need some food."

"I'm your landlady, dear, not your housekeeper." She said repeating herself every time

"Something cold will do him Mrs Watson." Charlie said to her b

"John, have a cup of tea, make yourself at home. Don't wait up!"

Sherlock grabbed a small leather pouch and then Charlie's hand as he pulled her out of the room leaving Mrs Hudson and John alone in the apartment as they hid behind the wall listening in. Sherlock standing closer to the front door with Charlie's back facing the kitchen door.

"Look at them, dashing about! My husband was just the same." Charlie head Mrs Hudson comment

"But you're more the sitting-down type, I can tell." Charlie felt John become a lot more uncomfortable

"I'll make you that cuppa. You rest your leg." Mrs Hudson said kindly

"Damn my leg!" Charlie gasped slightly. It wasn't Johns voice rasing that startled her, it was the impact of emotions that raged through John. Anger, frustration, annoyance, sadness. All on a massive scale. Sherlock looked behind him scanning Charlie's features. Obviously John's emotions startled her. Charlie sighed as she felt Johns emotions calm down, Mrs Hudson's emotions went from startled to sympathetic and Sherlock's were racing from intrigued to concern for John and her. But his emotions were always racing around she never had time to keep track of one for very long until another one came along.

"Sorry, I'm so sorry. It's just sometimes this bloody thing ..." Charlie heard John band his cane against something

"I understand, dear; I've got a hip." Charlie smiled at the older woman comment

"Cup of tea'd be lovely, thank you."

"Just this once, dear. I'm not your housekeeper."

"Couple of biscuits too, if you've got 'em."

"Not your housekeeper!"

Charlie smiled at the exchange between the two as Mrs Hudson left down the stairs Sherlock walked to stand in the door way. Charlie standing just behind him as she did up her coat and he up on his gloves

"You're a doctor. In fact you're an Army doctor." Sherlock commented

"Yes." John rose to his feet as Sherlock walked further into the room

"Any good?" Charlie asked him, he turned to her

"Very good."

"Seen a lot of injuries, then; violent deaths." Sherlock asked

"Mmm, yes."

"Bit of trouble too, I bet." Charlie said now standing next to Sherlock

"Of course, yes. Enough for a lifetime. Far too much." John said quietly

"Wanna see some more?"

"Oh God, yes." John said fervently

Charlie grinned as she turned and hurried down the stairs Sherlock and John following her close behind.

"Sorry, Mrs Hudson, I'll skip the tea. Off out." John called

"All three of you?" she asked. Sherlock was near the door when he turned back towards her

"Impossible suicides? Four of them? There's no point sitting at home when there's finally something fun going on!" He takes her by the shoulders and kisses her on the cheek. Charlie smiled and kissed her other cheek as well

"Look at you two, all happy. It's not decent." However she was smiling at the pair

"Who cares about decent? The game, Mrs Hudson, is on!" He called to her and the three of them marched out of the door and onto the street. Charlie spots a black cab and halls it

"Taxi!" The three of them climb in Charlie sat facing John and Sherlock as she gave the Cabbie the address as they sped off towards Lauriston Gardens.

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	3. Impressing John Watson

**Hello again. Wow two chapters in the same day/ night. Depending on where you are reading this. I've gotten about 106 views on this story with just two chapters which is insane. So thank you to everyone who is reading it and hopefully enjoying it! I know I am enjoying writing it and adding Charlie to the mix. Hopefully you are all liking her as a charater. I picture her looking a bit like Scarlett Johansson in Iron Man 2, but with more softer curls and brown eyes. If you can picture that then that's Charlie. Also I've linked Charlie's outfit that I described in the last Chapter in my Bio Box so if you want to see that then you can click on that as well!**

**Also a shout out to **

**Scuffie for the follow **

**And **

**Shinigamgymnast13 for the fav **

**I OWN NOTHING OF SHERLOCK I JUST OWN MY OC CHARLIE ALL CREDIT GOES TO THE BBC **

**Thanks guys **

**VioletSparks Xx **

The three of them sat in the Taxi cab for five minuet's driving through London. Charlie watched John as he looked out of the window clearly not having a clue where they were going. Sherlock looked to Charlie who nodded her head to John. 'Talk to him' she mouthed 'No' he mouthed back 'Child' she gave him a pointed looked in which he rolled his eyes at.

"Okay, you've got questions." He asked John

"Yeah, where are we going?" he turned to Sherlock

"Crime scene. Next?" he said impatiently

"Who are you? What do you do? I mean Charlie mentioned teaching but what about you?" John asked Sherlock

"What do you think?" Charlie rolled her eyes, trust Sherlock to make John decide for himself.

"I'd say private detective ..." John started hesitantly

"But?" Charlie pressed

"But the police don't go to private detectives." He said to Charlie then turned to Sherlock for an answer Sherlock smirked at John's answer

"I'm a consulting detective. Only one in the world. I invented the job." Sherlock boasted

"What does that mean?"

"It means he gets to be arrogant and rude and gets away with it" Charlie huffed and glared at Sherlock. Sometimes that man knew no bounds

"It means" Sherlock started forcefully giving Charlie a look "when the police are out of their depth, which is always, they consult me."

"The police don't consult amateurs." John said

"I hope your ready for this" Charlie said to John looking at Sherlock as he gave John a withering look.

"When I met you for the first time yesterday, I said, "Afghanistan or Iraq?" You looked surprised."

"Yes, how did you know?" Charlie watched them just waiting for the moment that John would tell Sherlock to get stuffed like others before him did

"I didn't know, I saw. Your haircut, the way you hold yourself says military. But your conversation as you entered the room ..." Charlie remembered when John entered the room 'bit different from my day' John commented

"... said trained at Bart's, so Army doctor – obvious. Your face is tanned but no tan above the wrists. You've been abroad, but not sunbathing. Your limp's really bad when you walk but you don't ask for a chair when you stand, like you've forgotten about it, so it's at least partly psychosomatic. That says the original circumstances of the injury were traumatic. Wounded in action, then. Wounded in action, suntan – Afghanistan or Iraq." Charlie followed vaguely about what Sherlock was talking about. She watched John carefully as he became more impressed and amazed at every word Sherlock was saying. So far the new project was working well.

"You said I had a therapist."

"You've got a psychosomatic limp – of course you've got a therapist." Sherlock said annoyed

"But how did you know about Afghanistan? Your not like him. No offence" John quickly backtracked what he was saying to Charlie she laughed at him

"Non taken, I'm no consulting detective. I'm an empath I feel peoples emotions. When Sherlock mentioned Afghanistan you let of such a severity of emotions that it was obvious that that's where you had fought. And before when Mrs Hudson made a comment about your leg. You felt anger and frustration. For example right now you are feeling amazed that I know these things and are beginning to feel embarrassed that I know this" Charlie smiled at John who cleared his throat

"Um wow that's…your good" He muttered

"Thank you John" She winked at him.

"Then there's your brother." Sherlock interrupted them, not willing to be outdone

"Hmm?" John was confused at the sudden conversation changer as Sherlock held the phone out

"Your phone. It's expensive, e-mail enabled, MP3 player, but you're looking for a flatshare – you wouldn't waste money on this. It's a gift, then." He turns the phone over and explains some more

Scratches. Not one, many over time. It's been in the same pocket as keys and coins. The man sitting next to me wouldn't treat his one luxury item like this, so it's had a previous owner. Next bit's easy. You know it already."

"The engraving."

"Wait what?" Charlie asked, Sherlock handed her the phone as she read the engraving on the back

_Harry Watson_

_From Clara_

_xxx_

"Harry Watson: clearly a family member who's given you his old phone. Not your father, this is a young man's gadget. Could be a cousin, but you're a war hero who can't find a place to live. Unlikely you've got an extended family, certainly not one you're close to, so brother it is." Charlie handed back the phone to Sherlock

"Now, Clara. Who's Clara? Three kisses says it's a romantic attachment. The expense of the phone says wife, not girlfriend. She must have given it to him recently – this model's only six months old. Marriage in trouble then – six months on he's just given it away. If she'd left him, he would have kept it. People do – sentiment. But no, he wanted rid of it. He left her. He gave the phone to you: that says he wants you to stay in touch. You're looking for cheap accommodation, but you're not going to your brother for help: that says you've got problems with him. Maybe you liked his wife; maybe you don't like his drinking."

"How can you possibly know about the drinking?" John said amazed, Charlie nodded along

"Shot in the dark. Good one, though," Charlie rolled her eyes, as Sherlock smiled clearly proud of himself

"Power connection: tiny little scuff marks around the edge of it. Every night he goes to plug it in to charge but his hands are shaking. You never see those marks on a sober man's phone; never see a drunk's without them." He hands back the phone to John

"There you go, you see – you were right." Charlie sighed looking out of the window

"I was right? Right about what?"

"The police don't consult amateurs."

"Just arrogant and rude consulting detectives" Charlie said. Both men looked at her one smiling anf now frowning. The latter looked out of the window waiting for the formers reply

"That ... was amazing." Both Sherlock and Charlie look at each other shocked then at John

"Do you think so?" Charlie asked him

"Of course it was. It was extraordinary; both of you.. it was quite extraordinary."

"That's not what people normally say." Sherlock bristled

"What do people normally say?" John asked looking between the two of them

"Piss off!" They both said at the same time. John grinned at them before looking out of the window

The cab arrived at Lauriston Gardens and Sherlock, John and Charlie all climbed out of the cab and walked towards the police tap down the road

"Did I get anything wrong?" Sherlock asked

"Harry and me don't get on, never have. Clara and Harry split up three months ago and they're getting a divorce; and Harry is a drinker." John confirmed

"Spot on, then. I didn't expect to be right about everything." Sherlock said, Charlie could feel the impressed feeling radiating off him in large waves.

"And Harry's short for Harriet." That stoped Sherlock's boasting he now turned to frustration as he stoped walking

"Harry's your sister." Charlie said smiling at Sherlock.

"Look, what exactly am I supposed to be doing here?" John asked as he continued to walk onwards

"Sister!" Sherlock said furiously

"No, seriously, what am I doing here?" John asked Charlie

"There's always something." Sherlock said, John and Charlie were clearly not interested

"Sherlock shut up you got one detail wrong, get over it. John you're here to help us and give medical advice. Nothing that you can't handle" She gave him a reassuring smile. Which was quickly lost at the sight of Sergeant Donovan.

"Hello, freak. Witch" Charlie rolled her eyes at Donovan's comment. A name they she was familer with, as was Sherlock. They had been called worse before and just brushed it off. John however was appaled at the names Donovan called them, and was about to give her what for. But Charlie stopped him

"There's no point, we've been called worse believe me"

"How can you stand it though?" He asked furious

"Kid's are cruel" was all she said before turning around

"We was invited." They head Sherlock say exasperated

"Why?" She asked

"I think he wants us to take a look." Charlie said sarcastically

"Well, you know what I think, don't you?" Donovan said as Sherlock lifted the tap and let Charlie walk through before ducking underneath himself

"Always, Sally" Charlie smiled at the woman as the two started each other down

"I even know you didn't make it home last night." Sherlock commented after taking a large sniff through his nose

"I don't ..." Donovan started before she looked at John "Er, who's this?"

"Colleague of ours, Doctor Watson." Sherlock turned to John and made introductions.

"Doctor Watson, Sergeant Sally Donovan"

"Old friend." Charlie added her voice dripping with venom

"A colleague? How do you two get a colleague?!" she said patronisingly

"What, did he follow you home? Did you spend the night with her" Donovan grinned

"Would it be better if I just waited and ..." John said trying to wait outside

"No." Sherlock said lifting up the tap.

"Freak and the witch are here. Bringing them in." she said into the radio leading them into the house. A few forensics were coming and going from the house. Police officers guarded the crime scene and there was an ambulance with paramedic's hurrying about. Charlie surveyed the surround street and Sherlock looked at the ground. They both stopped as Anderson walked over towards them.

"Ah, Anderson. Here we are again." Sherlock said fake enthusiasm traced his lips as Anderson looked at them both with distain

"It's a crime scene. I don't want it contaminated. Are we clear on that?" He said looking at Sherlock then at Charlie

"Quite clear. And is your wife away for long?" Sherlock commented. Charlie frowned then looked at Donovan. A quick glance at her knee's gave her all the evidence Sherlock was pointing out. And she grinned liked a cat.

"Oh, don't pretend you worked that out. Somebody told you that." Anderson said

"Your deodorant told me that."

"My deodorant?"

"It's for men."

"Well, of course it's for men! I'm wearing it!"

"So's Sergeant Donovan." Anderson, Donovan and John all looked shocked at Sherlocks statement as Sherlock sniffed again.

"Ooh, and I think it just vaporised. May I go in?" Anderson turned back as Charlie felt his anger rise

"Now look: whatever you're trying to imply ..."

"I'm not implying anything." Sherlock said as he and Charlie headed towards the front door

"I'm sure Sally came round for a nice little chat, and just happened to stay over." He said as they turned around

"And I assume she scrubbed your floors, going by the state of her knees. Or maybe she liked the view from there….. Or something like that" Charlie smiled sweetly as Sherlock chucked from behind her they both turned and walked inside as John walked past Donovan and looked down at her knee's quickly before moving on. Charlie smiled feeling much more happier at both Donovan and Andersons embarrassment.

"And you say I'm rude" Sherlock muttered to her as they walked through the house

"I can't stand that woman, and you know why ever since…" Sherlock placed his hand on the middle of her back.

"I know, don't think about it here, I need you" he leant down whispering in her ear. They walked into a room where Lestrade was putting on a pair of blue overalls. Sherlock pointed to a pair as Charlie put on the white latex forensic gloves.

"You need to wear one of these." Sherlock pointed to the blue overalls

"Who's this?" Lestrade asked

"He's with Charlotte and I" Sherlock said taking off his leather gloves

"But who is he?"

"I said he's with Charlotte and I" Sherlock repeated again.

"He was in the flat, when you summoned us, remember" Charlie said, Lestrade gave her a loom and shook his head. Charlie sighed sometimes she feared for Scotland Yard's future. John grabbed a blue overall and started to up it on. But stopped when he noticed that Sherlock and Charlie were not wearing one.

"Aren't you two gonna put one on?" He asked. Sherlock gave him a stern look, to which John rolled his eyes and shook his head in an way that said 'Silly me what was I thinking, of course they won't'

"So where are we?" Sherlock asked Lestrade

"Upstairs." He said picking up a pair of latex gloves.

**REVIEW ON YOUR WAY OUT PLEASE ! Thank you for stopping by, I'll let Mrs Hudson make you some tea for next time xx**


	4. Satisfaction In Death

**Hello everyone how have you all been. Its been a little while since I have updated this, but i have a valid reason I have family over from England, so I have to do outdoors type things rather than sit cooped up in my room and write the next chapter. So I've been doing this bit by bit and finally finished chapter 4 (woow) Now the view count tells me that quite a few of you like this story which is wonderful and I can't thank you all enough for taking the time and reading this little story so thank you everyone it makes me happy :) So here is chapter four for you all, I hope you enjoy it **

**-VioletSparks Xx**

The four of them made their way up the stairs. Lestrade leading the way followed by Sherlock, Charlie and then John bringing up the rear.

"I can give you two minutes." Lestrade said over his shoulder

"May need longer." Sherlock commented casually looking around at the house.

"Her name's Jennifer Wilson according to her credit cards. We're running them now for contact details. Hasn't been here long. Some kids found her." Lestrade told them. Charlie wasn't paying attention she was concentrating on the room that the majority of people were coming and going. But more importantly she was focusing on the whisperers of emotions coming from the room.

Emotions were different for Charlie when the person had been murdered. When Charlie read people's emotions. Living breathing humans with a working consensus the emotions were as easy to read. But when the person was no longer living, it was almost as if their ghost was whispering what they were feeling in their last moments, little snippets of their final moments. They continue their way to the room; the room was empty of furniture except for a rocking horse in the far corner. Emergency portable lighting had been set up, Scaffolding poles held up part of the ceiling near where Charlie saw a couple of large holes have been knocked through one of the walls.

The victim a Woman lay face down on the bare floorboards in the middle of the room. She was covered from head to toe in pink from her heels to her nail polish. They walked further into the room Sherlock walked a few steps further into the room and then stops, holding one hand out in front of himself as he focused on the body .

"Shut up." Sherlock said after several seconds of silence

"I didn't say anything." Lestrade looked confused

"You were thinking. It's annoying."

"Sherlock" Charlie called to him softly. He looked to her and was by her side in a second. John was surprised at the sudden movement and the intensity that Sherlock was staring at Charlie.

"What are you feeling" Charlie looked up at him, and breathed in slowly.

_Anger, fear, satisfaction, anxious, bitter, sympathetic, __**Satisfaction? **_

Why was this woman satisfied? It would have made sense if the police were treating this as a suicide. People suffering from depression found satisfaction with killing themselves. But the police were treating this as a murder scene and so was Sherlock. So why Jennifer Wilson satisfied with being murdered? All these thoughts were racing through Charlies mind

"She felt satisfaction" Charlie whispered, Sherlock frowned at her and turned back to the body, Charlie looked down to the woman's hands. On a closer look she saw the word '_Rache' _the German word for revenge. It would make sense if what she was feeling but something wasn't right. Charlie watched Sherlock poke and prod the body taking off her wedding ring and stroking his hand on the back of her coat and then the front. After a few minuets' Charlie could feel the satisfied feeling he always felt when he made an elaborate deduction

"Got anything?" Lestrade asked, he was feeling anxious

"Not much." Sherlock replied nonchalantly, Charlie rolled her eyes. As Sherlock took off his gloves and started typing in him phone. As Andersons voice from the door way made her jump

"She's German. 'Rache': it's German for 'revenge'. She could be trying to tell us something …" However Sherlock had other ideas

"Yes, thank you for your input." He said sarcastically closing the door in his face.

"So she's German?"

"Of course she's not. She's from out of town, though. Intended to stay in London for one night ... before returning home to Cardiff." He smiles and pockets his phone turning back around

"So far, so obvious."

"Everything is obvious to you Sherlock" Charlie said exasperated

"Sorry – obvious?" John asked them

"See" Charlie pointed out, to which Sherlock gave her a look

"What about the message, though?" Lestrade asked clearly far more interested in that then Sherlock's capability to show off, however Sherlock ignored him and turned to John

"Doctor Watson, what do you think?"

"Of the message?"

"Of the body. You're a medical man." However Lestrade had other ideas about John examining the body

"Wait, no, we have a whole team right outside."

"They won't work with me." Sherlock argued

"I'm breaking every rule letting you in here. And your girlfriend"

"Yes ... because you need me. And I need Charlotte so in conclusion you need both of us, and we are not in a relationship other than an amicable relationship one in which we are in great need of each other. So you need us both. And we need John Watson" Lestrade and Sherlock stared at each other for a minute before Lestrade gave in.

"Yes, I do. God help me."

"Doctor Watson." Charlie called to him breaking him out of this trance

"Hm?" he looked up from the body to look at her and then Sherlock, and then to Lestrade as if seeking his permission silently

"Oh, do as he says. Help yourself." Lestrade said tetchily as he turned and walked out of the door.

"Anderson, keep everyone out for a couple of minutes." Charlie heard him call, great just what they needed. Charlie walked around the edges of the room. Gliding her hands over the walls feeling the rough paint over them. She observed Sherlock and John out of the corner of her eye whispering over the body of Jennifer Wilson.

"Helping me make a point." She heard Sherlock whisper

"I'm supposed to be helping you pay the rent." She smiled at the Doctors smart remark

"Yeah, well, this is more fun." Sherlock said softly glancing over to Charlie who had now joined them crouching over Sherlock

"Fun? There's a woman lying dead." John frowned at her

"Perfectly sound analysis, but I was hoping you'd go deeper." Sherlock remarked sarcastically. Charlie rolled her eyes and glanced over her shoulder as Lestrade entered the room again and stood in the hall way. Charlie was brought back to the situation when she heard a soft grunt from John as he dragged his other leg into a keeling position. She sighed slightly when she realised what point Sherlock was trying to make. Both Charlie and Sherlock watched carefully as John started to looked over the body, putting his head close to hers and sniffed, then lifting her right hand and looking closely at her skin before straitening up and giving his diagnosis

"Yeah ... Asphyxiation, probably. Passed out, choked on her own vomit. Can't smell any alcohol on her. It could have been a seizure; possibly drugs." Charlie would have had a moment of impression at John if Sherlock hadn't have ruined it with his blunt remark

"You know what it was. You've read the papers."

"You know not everyone reads the papers Sherlock" Charlie whispered standing back up again

"Just because you don't"

"Half of that stuff they write is either false information purely written to ramp up public interest with the latest scandal or down grading factual stories and making it less important that it actually is.

"She's right you know, but hang on you don't mean that she's one of the suicides? The fourth ...?" John said getting into their conversation then clicking onto what Sherlock was trying to say in the first place.

"Sherlock – two minutes, I said. I need anything you've got." Lestrade said clearly beginning to get anxious Sherlock and John both rose to their feet, the latter being a fraction slower.

"Victim is in her late thirties. Professional person, going by her clothes; I'm guessing something in the media, going by the frankly alarming shade of pink. Travelled from Cardiff today, intending to stay in London for one night. It's obvious from the size of her suitcase."

"Suitcase?" Lestrade said as Charlie frowned there was not suitcase in the room; John looked around supporting the same theory Charlie had

"Suitcase, yes. She's been married at least ten years, but not happily. She's had a string of lovers but none of them knew she was married."

"Oh, for God's sake, if you're just making this up ..."

"When has he ever made this stuff up Greg" Charlie defended Sherlock. Sherlock smirked before continuing

"Her wedding ring. Ten years old at least. The rest of her jewellery has been regularly cleaned, but not her wedding ring. State of her marriage right there. The inside of the ring is shinier than the outside – that means it's regularly removed. The only polishing it gets is when she works it off her finger. It's not for work; look at her nails. She doesn't work with her hands, so what or rather who does she remove her rings for? Clearly not one lover; she'd never sustain the fiction of being single over that amount of time, so more likely a string of them. Simple."

"That's brilliant." John said in total awe of him

"Don't worry it wears off eventually" Charlie whispered into his ear. John smirked at Charlie who grinned back at him

"If you two are quite finished" Sherlock said Charlie's little dig at him was clearly annoying him.

"Sorry." John said apologetically

"Cardiff?" Lestrade said getting back to the case in point

"It's obvious, isn't it?" Sherlock said frowning

"It's not obvious to me." John said in confusion. Sherlock paused to look at them both

"Dear God, what is it like in your funny little brains? It must be so boring."

"Being rude again Sherlock" Charlie said patting him on the shoulder

"I was merely stating that their intelligence betrays them, and there for must affect their life in the most extreme way" Sherlock said turning to her

"Well then why don't you explain to the how you but it the men with funny little brains and help them along" She looked from John to Lestrade then back at Sherlock who looked back at them and sighed. Clearly irritated that he had to explain everything

"Alright then look her coat: it's slightly damp. She's been in heavy rain in the last few hours. No rain anywhere in London in that time. Under her coat collar is damp, too. She's turned it up against the wind. She's got an umbrella in her left-hand pocket but it's dry and unused: not just wind, strong wind – too strong to use her umbrella. We know from her suitcase that she was intending to stay overnight, so she must have come a decent distance but she can't have travelled more than two or three hours because her coat still hasn't dried. So, where has there been heavy rain and strong wind within the radius of that travel time?" He picked his phone out of this packet and showed Lestrade, John and Charlie the webpage that was on his phone screen that displayed the weather from that day clearly marking the southern parts of Britain

"Cardiff."

"That's fantastic!" John blurted out again

"D'you know you do that out loud? And she is right, people become immune to my deductions after a while"

"Sorry. I'll shut up." John said shuffling clearly embarrassed

"No, it's ... fine." The both shared a look and Charlie smiled at Johns feeling of intimidation and awe of Sherlock. Lestrade however was feeling confused

"Why d'you keep saying suitcase?" Sherlock suddenly spun in a circle looked frantically around the room

"Yes, where is it? She must have had a phone or an organiser. Find out who Rachel is."

"She was writing 'Rachel'?" Sherlock looked at Lestrade

"No, she was leaving an angry note in German" He said the sarcasm dripping off every word

"Of course she was writing Rachel; no other word it can be. Question is: why did she wait until she was dying to write it?"

"She felt satisfied" Charlie whispered why did she feel satisfied

"How d'you know she had a suitcase?" Lestrade asked, Sherlock pointed to the body indicating to the small black splotches on her lower right leg

"Back of the right leg: tiny splash marks on the heel and calf, not present on the left. She was dragging a wheeled suitcase behind her with her right hand. Don't get that splash pattern any other way. Smallish case, going by the spread. Case that size, woman this clothes-conscious: could only be an overnight bag, so we know she was staying one night." Charlie watched as he squatted down next to the body and examines it closely

"Now, where is it? What have you done with it?"

"There wasn't a case." Lestrade shrugged Sherlock slowly raised his head towards him

"Say that again."

"There wasn't a case. There was never any suitcase."

"Then how come Jennifer Wilson has distinct splash back marks on the back of one leg, come on Greg even you have to admit it's not like she enjoyed splashing around in the mud" Charlie whispered to him, Lestrade looked down for a second before they herd Sherlock shouting at the police officers, Charlie gave Lestrade lone last look before tearing out of the room and running to catch up with Sherlock who was hurrying down the stairs

"Suitcase! Did anyone find a suitcase? Was there a suitcase in this house?" Lestrade and John followed and stoped on the landing looking down

"Sherlock, Charlie there was no case!" He called down to the both of them

"But they take the poison themselves; they chew, swallow the pills themselves." He said to Charlie

"There are clear signs, even you lot couldn't miss them." He then shouted to the police force around him

"Right, yeah, thanks! And ...?" Lestrade pressed Sherlock

"It's murder, all of them. I don't know how, but they're not suicides, they're killings – serial killings." He held up his hands in delight and grabbing Charlie by the shoulders and shaking her

"We've got ourselves a serial killer. I love those. There's always something to look forward to."

"I think you're the only one in this situation who is enjoying themselves right now Sherlock" Charlie muttered pushing him off her to stop the world from spinning

"Why are you saying that?" Sherlock stopped and called up to the others

"Her case! Come on, where is her case? Did she eat it? Someone else was here, and they took her case." He turned to Charlie and whispered

"So the killer must have driven her here; forgot the case was in the car." Charlie's eyes widened finally starting to see where Sherlock was going with this

"She could have checked into a hotel, left her case there." John said, it was a perfectly reasonable explanation but this wasn't a reasonable case. This time Charlie called up to them

"No, she never got to the hotel. Look at her hair. It's practically dried by the wind" She said, and then Sherlock continued

"She colour-coordinates her lipstick and her shoes. She'd never have left any hotel with her hair still looking ..." He stopped mid-sentence suddenly coming to a realisation

"Oh."

"Sherlock what is …?" Charlie asked but then stopped her eyes widening coming to the same conclusion Sherlock had

"Oh!" She exclaimed almost laughed as Sherlock clapped his hands in delight

"Sherlock? Charlie?" John asked confused as to their sudden change of behaviour

"What is it, what?" Lestrade asked them

"Serial killers are always hard. You have to wait for them to make a mistake." Sherlock said smiling

"We can't just wait!" Lestrade yelled at them

"Oh, we're done waiting!" He hurried down the stairs with Charlie hot on his heels

"Look at her, really look! Houston, we have a mistake. Get on to Cardiff: find out who Jennifer Wilson's family and friends were. Find Rachel!" Sherlock called while he was still hurrying down, they finally reached the bottom of the stairs and disappeared from view

"Of course, yeah – but what mistake?" Lestrade called after them suddenly they came back into view looking up at everyone

"PINK!" they both yelled, Sherlock grabbed Charlie by the arm and both of them ran out of the house leaving a baffled looking Lestrade and an utterly confused John Watson behind.

**If you review there is a virtual cookie for you ;) x**


	5. Dangerous Texting Habits

**Hello, I am so sorry for the wait, a lot of stuff has been happening all at once, but never fear here is the next chapter for you all. I will post a picture of Charlies outfit as well for anyone who want to see what she will be wearing in the next few chapters. I DO NOT OWN SHERLOCK AND ANY CHARACTERS ASSOCIATED TO IT. But I do own Charlie and her powers (if you can call them that?) ! **

**I hope you are all liking this story **

**-VoiletSparks Xx**

_The day was cold and miserable, much like the mood of the six year old girl. The young girl sat by the window of the class room, which was currently having an indoor play time due to the weather. She wore a red dress which was far too big on her thick black tights that left trails of cotton when she walked. Her dirty blonde hair however was pulled up high in a perfect pony tail. Thanks to the work of her mother that working and was decorated with a pristine white bow. The young girl hated the bow with a passion. Even as a young girl she knew that it was her mother's attempt to hide her underneath all the elaborate clothing from her natural born talents. She only hoped her little sister wouldn't turn out as the freak that she had. The young girl was far too interested in the tail of Little Red Riding hood to take notice of the young boy who was now stood at the other end of the table next to the window looking at her. His mop of untamed black curly hair gave him an almost puppy dog like appearance. Something the boy detested from a young age._

"_Why are you reading that?" The boy asked rather rudely. The girl all but jumped out of her skin at the sound of a new voice gracing her ears. She looked up at the boy who was stood staring at her with a frowning expression _

"_Pardon?" She asked confused and shocked to have missed his first question _

"_Why are you reading that book? It's for kids" The girl looked around the room at the other six year olds chasing each other or playing with dolls. _

"_I would rather read, than play with them. They make fun of me" She answered looking at the boy, she tried to read him, but couldn't find anything to go off. The boy was doing the same. His brother had taught him how to read other people by what they put off into the world. Well that's how he put it. It was far too complex of a notion for the young boy to wrap his head around it. _

"_Me too" The boy said sitting down in front of the girl_

"_What?" _

"_They make fun of me too" _

"_Why?" _

"_They think I'm different" _

"_Me too" The young girl said quietly putting her book down, they both looked at each other and gave each other small smiles, as unknown to the other they had finally figured out one feature about the other. In that moment they were __**Happy. **_

Charlie was not happy. Not in the slightest. _'Never again will I run out of a building with that man, I could be in my apartment right about now, warm watching EastEnders. But no he had me looking in skips across London' _Charlie frowned and pulled her coat around her more. Her modest dress and tights were not doing her any favours to keep the evening chill in the air from attacking her skin. She looked up at Sherlock who was lost in a sea of unwanted items in a large skip. Charlie point blanked refused after she rummaged around in the fifth one. They were currently at number nine.

"Why couldn't I have had a normal best friend? Who takes you to the pub and sits and watches TV with you. Instead I get rubbish bins and alley ways of London" Charlie grumbled

"Charlotte you and I both know that you made a vow to never step foot into a place where they serve alcohol again, not after your history" Sherlock's voice was muffled but still didn't get the point Charlie was trying to make.

"That's not what I…. Oh never mind" Charlie gave up looking around the dark backstreet they were currently in.

"Brilliant!" Sherlock's voice sounded triumphant as he clambered out of the skip carrying a bright pink suite case. Charlie smiled. They had found what they had been looking for.

They hurried out of the side street onto the main road and hauled a taxi and sped off to Sherlock's apartment. After taking a detour to Charlie's apartment so she could change. Claiming that if she was going to be kept up all night then she could rather do it wearing something more comfortable. The two of them now bunkered up in Sherlock's apartment. Charlie now wearing dark blue skinny jeans, a light blue button up shirt that once belonged to Sherlock; he pointed this out when she clambered back into the taxi, claiming that he had been looking for it. A grey knitted cardigan and dark blue low heel boots her hair now down and in soft waves. Both their coats were discarded at the front door and now Sherlock was lay on the couch with three Nicotine patches on his arm and Charlie sipping her coffee and peering at the suit case of Jennifer Wilson which was tucked away on the kitchen chair just within eye shot of her seat on the couch, until Sherlock could think about what to do next. He had already summoned John over.

"You know you can't do that to people Sherlock" Charlie scolded him, as he crossed his legs in her lap.

"Do what?" He asked confused

"Summon people like they are you're trained hunting dog" She said sipping her hot drink

"It never works on you" He countered

"It never worked on Redbeard either" she said and raised one eyebrow

"He loved you far too much" Sherlock grumbled

"Jealous" Charlie snorted into her mug, Sherlock never got the chance to reply as at that moment John came limping into the room.

"Hey John" Charlie greeted him, she smiled as he looked at her then to Sherlock who was lying on the couch his eyes fixed at the ceiling. Charlie swallowed a smirk as she felt John become increasingly annoyed and angry at Sherlock

"Hi Charlie" He gave a tight smile at the woman before turning on the man

"What are you doing?"

"Nicotine patch. Helps me think." Sherlock replied calmly as he revealed the three round patches on his arm he was pressing, as if willing the substance in them to move around his body quickly.

"Impossible to sustain a smoking habit in London these days. Bad news for brain work." He said

"It's good news for breathing." John said sarcastically walking further into the room.

"Oh, breathing. Breathing's boring." Sherlock said dismissively, Charlie rolled her eyes and stood up, jolting Sherlock who glared at her as she walked into the Kitchen. John peered at Sherlock's arm more closely.

"Is that three patches?"

"It's a three-patch problem apparently" Charlie called from the other room.

"Well?" John asked, there came no response from Sherlock

"You asked me to come. I'm assuming it's important." John pressed

"Oh, yeah, of course. Can I borrow your phone?" Sherlock asked, Charlie snorted from the Kitchen

"My phone?"

"Don't want use mine. Always a chance that the number will be recognised. It's on the website." Sherlock explained

"Charlies got a phone."

"She doesn't let me use hers, something about a drug lord sexting her" Sherlock said waving his hand as if her was swatting a fly. Charlie came to stand next to John her hands on her hips

"He was a drug lord, how can you not get it"

"I was the other side of London." Both Charlie and John yelled at him

"There was no hurry. And he's in jail now, I hardly think it matters anymore"

"That's not the point Sherlock" Charlie grumbled walking back into the kitchen. John glared at him then gave up.

"Here." John handed Sherlock the phone

"If a forty year old man starts telling you where he will stick it, I am not helping you my friend" Charlie called, John sighed and started pacing for a second before turning around as Charlie now came and leaned on the wall next to the door.

"So what's this about – the case?" John asked

"Her case." Sherlock said softly

"Her case?" Charlie noted that John was getting more and more confused. As Sherlock opened his eyes

"Her suitcase, yes, obviously." Sherlock said obnoxiously

"What he means is, the murderer took her suitcase. Which was his first big mistake." Charlie explained

"Okay, he took her case. So?" John said now understanding the context of the conversation.

"It's no use, there's no other way. We'll have to risk it." Sherlock said to himself

"On my desk there's a number. I want you to send a text." Sherlock said holding the phone out as Charlie sat on the arm rest of the couch. She felt John go into an angry disbelief as to what Sherlock was asking him to do.

"You brought me here ... to send a text." His words came out tightly

"Text, yes. The number on my desk." Sherlock said still holding out the phone to John. Charlie watched John smirking as she could tell John was planning Sherlock's murder. He snatched the phone back and went to the window and looked out. Charlie frowned at John feeling a sense of confusion but not directed to Sherlock her herself, Sherlock looked at Charlie and saw all the signs of worry he then looked at John and understood why.

"What's wrong?" Charlie asked him

"Just met a friend of yours." Both Sherlock and Charlie shared a look

"A friend?" Sherlock asked, they didn't have many friends

"An enemy." John stated, both Charlie and Sherlock relaxed

"Oh. Which one?" Charlie asked calmly

"Your arch-enemy, according to him." _Ah Mycroft _

"Do people have arch-enemies?" John said facing them, Sherlock narrowed his eyes suspiciously

"Did he offer you money to spy on me?"

"Yes." John said surprised that he knew what had happened

"Did you take it?" Charlie asked casually pulling at a fray in her cardigan then looking up at John

"No." John said turning to her

"Pity. We could have split the fee. Think it through next time." Sherlock said as Charlie gave a snort of laughter

"I was wondering why I was getting less and less mysterious cars outside my flat! He took you to the warehouse didn't he." Charlie asked grinning slightly

"He does like to be dramatic" Sherlock muttered

"And here's me thinking my charm and good looks were lacking" Charlie grinned turning to Sherlock

"You were never his type anyway" Sherlock said waving his hands dismissively

"Ouch"

"Who is he?" John said clearly annoyed to be left out of the secret conversation about a man who more or less abducted him.

"The most dangerous man you've ever met, and not my problem right now." Sherlock said softly become continuing in a more loud tone

"On my desk, the number." John gave him a dark look to which Sherlock was oblivious but not Charlie, she cocked her head to one side as he shot daggers at him then moved to the desk. Charlie bit her lip in anticipation as John picked up the luggage label of Jennifer Wilson.

"Jennifer Wilson. That was ... Hang on. Wasn't that the dead woman?" he asked looking at Charlie in shock

"Yes. That's not important. Just enter the number." Sherlock insisted still looking up at nothing, John and Charlie shared a look, Charlie shrugged sheepishly as John entered the phone number

"Are you doing it?" Sherlock asked

"Yes."

"Have you done it?"

"Ye... hang on!"

"Patience's was never his thing" Charlie explained

"Neither was wearing white bow's in your hair, but you did until adolescence" Charlie glared at Sherlock, while John frowned at them

"And don't try to blame your mother, we both know that even she wasn't that precise about everything" Charlie narrowed her eyes at the consulting detective

"At least I didn't go through a pirate faze" Sherlock stiffened as John tried to hide his laugher as imaged of a younger Sherlock wearing a eye patch and a younger Charlie wearing a bandana using sticks as swords in a back yard.

"A pirate serious…."

" Never mind that." Sherlock said forcefully

"These words exactly: What happened at Lauriston Gardens? I must have blacked out." John smiles and starts to type but looked at Sherlock briefly, Charlie felt his concern raise as she tried to not laugh at the irritation that was radiating towards her off Sherlock, His eyes boring into her shoulder as if willing his emotion to travel faster so she knew how much he disliked her in that moment.

"Twenty-two Northumberland Street. Please come." Sherlock said trying to not grit this teeth

"You blacked out?" John asked worriedly

"What?" Sherlock said John's question shaking himself out of his mood with the red haired woman

"No. No!" Suddenly he flipped his legs off the couch, 'accidently' catching Charlies hip and pushing her off her perch on the couch arm, before stepping over the coffee table and headed towards the kitchen

"Type and send it. Quickly." He reamerged again with the small pick suitcase and a kitchen chair, placing the suitcase on the chair and sat in his arm chair. Charlie came to sit on the arm rest, He looked up at her still communicating how he was annoyed at her. She rolled her eyes, but never got up from her seat. They both waited as John was still typing

"Have you sent it?" Charlie asked looking down at the phone

"What's the address?"

"Twenty-two Northumberland Street. Hurry up!" Sherlock's impatiens was going through the roof. He unzipped the case and Charlie noted the items inside, items of clothing and underwear. All of them obviously varying in different shades of pink and a novel by Paul Buch 'Come To Bed Eyes' Charlie raised her eyebrows at the title. John turned around to see the case and staggered slightly shocked to see the dead woman's suitcase casually opened in the flat.

"That's ... that's the pink lady's case. That's Jennifer Wilson's case." John stated

"Yes, obviously." Sherlock said in a bored tone, John looked at them both warily

"Oh, perhaps I should mention: We didn't kill her." Sherlock said sarcastically

"I never said you did."

"Why not? Given the text I just had you send and the fact I that have her case, it's a perfectly logical assumption."

"Do people usually assume he's the murderer?" John asked Charlie looking back and forth at them, Sherlock smirked slightly as he pulled his feet up and sat on the back rest of the arm chair hands clasped under his chin

"Occasionally, more than often" Charlie said debating in her mind just how many times she had to convince Donavon that he wasn't the killer

"Okay ..." John trailed off, he limped across the room and sat heavily into the armchair opposite them. Charlie looking at his leg with an unreadable expression on her face.

"How did you get this?"

"By looking."

"Where?"

"The killer must have driven her to Lauriston Gardens. He could only keep her case by accident if it was in the car. Nobody could be seen with this case without drawing attention – particularly a man, which is statistically more likely – so obviously he'd feel compelled to get rid of it the moment he noticed he still had it. Wouldn't have taken him more than five minutes to realise his mistake. We checked every back street wide enough for a car five minutes from Lauriston Gardens and anywhere you could dispose of a bulky object without being observed. Took us both less than an hour to find the right skip."

"Nine in total I might add" Charlie grumbled folding her arms across her chest, glaring at the obnoxious pink case that had her rummaging around London for an hour.

"Pink. You got all that because you realised the case would be pink?"

"Well, it had to be pink, obviously."

"Did you see the way she dressed" They both said at the same time

"Why didn't I think of that?" John said to himself

"Because you're an idiot." Charlie elbowed him in the thigh to which Sherlock only grunted at, John looked across at them startled

"No, no, no, don't look like that. Practically everyone is." Charlie sighed pinching the bridge of her nose and closed her eyes

"One day Sherlock someone is going to punch you" Sherlock ignored Charlies comment and pointed at the case

"Now, look. Do you see what's missing?"

"From the case? How could I?" John said traces of sarcasm laced in his response

"Her phone. Where's her mobile phone? There was no phone on the body, there's no phone in the case. We know she had one – that's her number there; you just texted it."

"Maybe she left it at home." Charlie had to commend John's response it was a logical one but not the right one, Sherlock lowered himself back down on to the chair properly resting his elbow on Charlies thigh

"She has a string of lovers and she's careful about it. She never leaves her phone at home." Charlie rolled her eyes and brushed Sherlock off her, he looked at her then put the slip of paper back into the luggage label on the case

"Er ..." John looked down at his phone, Charlie watched as dread coursed through him.

"Why did I just send that text?"

"Well, the question is: where is her phone now?" Charlie said looking at the case then back at Sherlock

"She could have lost it." John reasoned, Charlies earlier remake rang through his head _'If a forty year old man starts telling you where he will stick it, I am not helping you my friend'_ John shuddered slightly

"Yes, or ...?" Sherlock pressed

"The murderer ... You think the murderer has the phone?" John said it suddenly dawned on him

"Maybe she left it when she left her case. Maybe he took it from her for some reason. Either way, the balance of probability is the murderer has her phone."

"Sorry, what are we doing? Did I just text a murderer?! What good will that do?" And as if it was a scene from a play John's phone began to ring. He looked at the screen at the Caller I.D it read. _Withheld, Calling_. John looked across from them as the phone continued to ring

"A few hours after his last victim, and now he receives a text that can only be from her. If somebody had just found that phone they'd ignore a text like that, but the murderer ..." he paused eyes locked on the phone, Charlies eye's locked on Sherlock and John's eyes locked on the both of them. And then the phone stopped ringing

"Would panic."

**Don't forget to review on your way out :) Have a lovely day ! **


	6. A Skulls Replacement

**Why hello there everyone, here you are chapter six. This one was defiantly the hardest one to write so far. Which is a little frustrating but hopefully I made Charlie fit into this part of the story ok. We also get a bit more of who Charlie was in her part. I have it all mapped out so far. But I would love to hear some of your theories on who you think Charlie was. I have left hints but I want to hear what you guys think of her. I hope you are liking her as a character, and if you feel that she is getting to Mary Sue like PLEASE let me know so I can make a conscious effort to try and steer clear. Also did anyone like the flash back in the last chapter? I am thinking of throwing a few of them in the next few chapters. Just to get more context of Sherlock and Charlies relationship. They will be a different point's at different ages so let me know if you would like that! **

**Anyway I hope you enjoy this chapter **

**-Violet Sparks Xx **

The three of them sat for a couple of seconds before Sherlock sprang into action flipping the lid of the suitcase closed he stood up, walking across the room to pick up his jacket. Charlie and John continued to stare down at his phone, neither of them really paying attention to Sherlock who was now wearing the jacket.

"Have you talked to the police?" John said finally looking at Charlie who snapped out of her trance

"Four people are dead. There isn't time to talk to the police." Sherlock said in a matter of fact tone

"So why are you talking to me?" He looked at the both of them, Sherlock reached behind the door and grab his and Charlies coats from the hook. He walked across towards them handing Charlie her coat as she stood up.

"You know this is dangerous and stupid Sherlock" Charlie muttered, Sherlock went to reply but got distracted by the mantelpiece

"Mrs Hudson took my skull." Charlie rolled her eyes

"Of course she took the skull"

"So I'm basically filling in for your skull?" John said Sherlock looked at him putting on his coat as well

"Relax, you're doing fine."

"As long as he doesn't make you dig up another one" Charlie flashed Sherlock an angry look who didn't bat an eyelid. John made a mental note to ask about that story. But he stayed firmly in the arm chair

"Well?" Sherlock looked at him

"Well what?" John snapped slightly

"Well, you could just sit there and watch telly." Sherlock pointed out

"Oh that reminds me I promised to watch the next episode of EastEnders with Mrs Hudson" Charlie muttered both men ignored her comment

"What, you want me to come with you both?"

"I like company when I go out, and I think better when I talk aloud. The skull just attracts attention, so and Charlotte just ignores me now, which is one of her annoying habits"

"Do you know how embarrassing it is to be with a man who carries around a skull in public, and ifif we are on the subject of annoying habits by all means go ahead I have files of your" Charlie crossed her arms and looked at Sherlock John smiled at the two of them. He could see Mrs Hudson's point about them being a good match. But he then remembered what Sergeant Donovan said to him earlier that night

"_Their gone." Donovan's voice carried thought the night as John looked around _

"_Who, Sherlock and Charlie?" John asked as Donovan walked over _

"_Yeah, he just took off. He does that. And she's not too far behind him" _

"_Are they coming back?" he asked her _

"_Didn't look like it." _

"_Right." He looked around at the area around him, unsure what to do_

"_Right ... Yes." He repeated he turned to Donovan _

"_Sorry, where am I?" _

"_Brixton." Donovan said turning back to an officer_

"_Right. Er, d'you know where I could get a cab? It's just, er ... well" he looked down at his walking stick _

"_... my leg."_

"_Er ..." She lifted the tap for him _

"_... try the main road."_

"_Thanks." He said as he started to walk down the road _

"_But you're not their friend." John turned around to face her _

"_He doesn't have friends. And she well she never leaves his side, not since I've known them. So who are you?" Donovan asked _

"_I'm ... I'm nobody. I just met him." _

"_Okay, bit of advice then: stay away from the both of them" _

"_Why?"_

"_You know why he's here? He's not paid or anything. He likes it. He gets off on it. The weirder the crime, the more he gets off. And you know what? One day just showing up won't be enough. One day we'll be standing round a body and Sherlock Holmes will be the one that put it there." _

"_Why would he do that?" Frowning at the comment _

"_Because he's a psychopath. And psychopaths get bored._ _And she's no better the innocent Charlotte Hooper, she wasn't always that way. Helping people doing the right thing like the good girl she claims to be. That woman has secrets I bet Sherlock Holmes doesn't even know about" _

"_How would you know anything about her" John said through gritted teeth, feeling a sense of protectiveness about the younger woman he only met yesterday _

"_Because I'm a police officer, and there's only one way I can know information like that" Donovan said smirking slightly before John could tell her where to go Lestrade's voice cut their conversation to a close _

"_Donovan!"_

"_Coming." She called back to him walking towards the house not before turning about around to John _

"_Stay away from Sherlock Holmes. And Charlotte Hooper" _

"Problem?" Sherlock's question cut his flashback

"Yeah, Sergeant Donovan." Sherlock looked away exasperatedly

"What about her?"

"She said ... You get off on this. You enjoy it."

"And I said "dangerous", and here you are." Sherlock shrugged nonchalantly and turned and walked out of the door, Charlie went to follow him, but John's next words stopped her

"She said that you have secrets, that not even Sherlock Holmes knows about" Charlie closed her eyes and turned to face John who was now standing facing her

"That woman doesn't know the first thing about me, just because she has read a few statements on a piece of paper about who I was and what I did. It does not define me." her voice was cold and full of ice rage which surprised John. Charlie could feel his emotions turn from curious to shock. She sighed and walked up to him

"Look John, me and Sherlock were not always like this, we are not normal people we are not safe people. And it's because of our past that we try and move forward to help solve crimes and cases. I know it's a lot to take in with just knowing us for two days. But you have to accept that this is what we do and who we are. And you're going to have to trust us" Charlie watched the older man reading his emotions they were changing rapidly that she couldn't pin one of him at that moment, she sighed and walked over to the door

"The offer still stands to work with us John, if you are prepared to" And with that she walked down the stairs following Sherlock who was waiting for her patiently.

"Alright?" he asked opening the door for her

"Just Donovan trying to make me out to be something I'm not" Sherlock sighed

"Why did she of all people have to be the one to work on my case" Charlie growled angrily

"We never knew at the time that she would be working for Lestrade five years later it was merely coincidence" Sherlock pointed out but even he didn't believe his words

"What does Mycroft say about coincidences Sherlock" Charlie sighed looking up at Sherlock as they started walking down the street

"The universe is rarely so lazy"

"So the probability is" Charlie pressed him

"That Sargent Donovan is a bitch and a compulsive liar, if her affair with Anderson is anything to go by" Charlie giggled slightly as Sherlock chuckled. Charlie smiled slightly. It didn't matter about her past; Sherlock always knew how to make her feel better. As they were walking down the road John finally caught up with them. He went to say something to Charlie who shook her head and mouthed 'its fine, don't worry' he looked at her unsure, but dropped the subject and asked a different question.

"Where are we going?"

"Northumberland Street's a five-minute walk from here." Sherlock explained

"You think he's stupid enough to go there?" John asked Sherlock smiled

"No – I think he's brilliant enough. I love the brilliant ones. They're always so desperate to get caught."

"And the ones that try to kill you half the time" Charlie pointed out shoving her hands in her pockets

"Why?" Johns question asked both of the statements

"Appreciation! Applause! At long last the spotlight. That's the frailty of genius, John: it needs an audience."

"Because he tries to outsmart them, and generally the psychotic ones don't like to be outsmarted" Charlie said her stride picking up slightly as she now walked in front of the two men

"Yeah." John said seeing Charlie's point, if Sherlock pissed him off and to quote the consulting detective, 'he was an idiot.' John could only imagine what Sherlock could do with a psycho's ego when provoked. Sherlock oblivious to the subtle verbal telling off he was getting from Charlie spun around indicating at the street they were walking down

"This is his hunting ground, right here in the heart of the city. Now that we know his victims were abducted, that changes everything. Because all of his victims disappeared from busy streets, crowded places, but nobody saw them go."

He held his hands up on either side of his head as if to focus his thoughts.

"Think! Who do we trust, even though we don't know them? Who passes unnoticed wherever they go? Who hunts in the middle of a crowd?" Charlie looked around at the scene she watched people hurry past and the blurs of cars and taxi cabs driving past them in a mad rush to get to their destination

"Dunno. Who?" John asked looking around as well

"Haven't the faintest. Hungry?" Sherlock shrugged walking faster overtaking Charlie who stopped to look at Sherlock's retreating form

"I really do hate him when he does that" She said to John,

"Then how do you put up with him?"

"By stealing his skull" She winked at John and hurried after Sherlock, it took John a second to figure out the layered meaning of her answer.

"So I'm not just his replacement for the skull" John smirked walking after her

"John I've known him for twenty four years, it's a wonder I haven't gone bald yet, I need all the support I can get when he's like this"

"When he's like what?"

"A cocky bastard" John laughed as Charlie led him into a small restaurant where Sherlock was waiting

"What's so funny?" Sherlock asked

"Nothing you wouldn't find it humerus at all" Charlie winked at John who snorted clicking onto her pun. Sherlock frowned and shook his head, directing his attention to the waiter who led them to his and Charlies usual table at the front window

"Thank you, Billy." They all took their coats off John sitting with his back to the window and Charlie and Sherlock looking out onto the street. Billy took the reserved sign off the table

"Twenty-two Northumberland Street. Keep your eyes on it." He muttered to the two of them, Charlie leaned over slightly and saw the building and nodded

"He isn't just gonna ring the doorbell, though, is he? He'd need to be mad." John almost rolled his eyes

"He has killed four people." Charlie pointed out

"Okay." John said clearly unsure as to what to make of that. Charlie smiled slightly looking at the street

"Sherlock. Lottie" A low voice said behind Charlie she rolled her eyes at the nick name but smiled all the same. He shook hands with Sherlock and winked at Charlie who gave a tight smile.

"Anything on the menu, whatever you want, free." He gave them three menus

"On the house, for you and which one are you with, you're not Lottie's type." Angelo smiled looking at Sherlock then to John. Sherlock was too engrossed with watching the house and Charlie at the menu

"Do you want to eat? I'm starving" Charlie asked causally skimming the menu and ignoring Angelo's hit about what her type of man was.

"I'm not their date"

"This man and woman got me off a murder charge." Angelo pointed to the pair of them

"This is Angelo." Sherlock introduced but was clearly not that interested in what was happening in the restaurant but what was going on outside it. Angelo offered his hand to John who shook it

"Three years ago we successfully proved to Lestrade at the time of a particularly vicious triple murder that Angelo was in a completely different part of town, house-breaking."

"He cleared my name."

"We cleared it a bit." Charlie muttered still looking at the menu

"Anything happening opposite?"

"Nothing. But for this man and this woman, I'd have gone to prison."

"You did go to prison." You did go to prison Charlie said looking confused

"I'll get a candle for the table. It's more romantic." Angelo said walking away

"I'm not their date!" John said indignantly, but Angelo didn't listen

"You may as well eat. We might have a long wait." Sherlock said putting his menu down. Angelo came back with a small glass bowl contained a lit tea light. Charlie snorted at the man's idea of a candle but never said a thing as John replied tetchily

"Thanks"

It was an hour later and John and Charlie were eating the plate of food in front of them, the conversation had dwindled slightly as all three of them were thinking of different things. It was John who broke the silence

"People don't have arch-enemies." Charlie looked up at John then to Sherlock, it took him a few seconds to realize John was talking to him

"I'm sorry?"

"In real life. There are no arch-enemies in real life. Doesn't happen." John reasoned

"Doesn't it? Sounds a bit dull." Sherlock said already becoming disinterested with where the conversation was going.

"Our lives are anything but dull Sherlock" Charlie rolled her eyes taking a bite of her pasta

"So who did I meet?" John asked

"What do real people have, then, in their 'real lives'?" Sherlock asked

"Friends; people they know; people they like; people they don't like ... Girlfriends" John glanced at Charlie

" boyfriends ..."

"Yes, well, as I was saying – dull."

"You don't have a girlfriend, then? I mean you've said that you weren't together but your close, so I assumed…." John trailed off. Sherlock and Charlie looked at each other

"Girlfriend? No, not really my area." Sherlock said looking out of the window

"Try being his best friend and female, he can't even handle my sister's crush on him, breaks her heart regularly. Costs me a fortune in chocolates and wine and watching sad romantic movies just to repair the damage he does sometimes" Charlie said pushing her plate away and giving Sherlock a look

"It's not my fault that your sister happened to hold feelings on infatuation towards me, I have never given her any indication of feeling the same way towards her"

"Yes but next time, can you try for me to just be kind to her. She does so much for you" Charlie pleaded the thought of her little sister forever being in love with Sherlock made her fear for her bank account.

"As I said, Girlfriends are not my area" Sherlock repeated again

A moment passes before John realises the possible significance of Sherlock's statement

"Oh, right. D'you have a boyfriend?" Charlie stifled a loud laugh as Sherlock looked at him sharply

"Which is fine, by the way." John said defensively

"I know it's fine." John smiled at the indication that is wasn't confirming or denying anything from what he said

"So you've got a boyfriend then?" John asked

"No."

"Then why are you blushing Sherlock, I'm offended I thought you would have told me first" Charlie said smirking at him, Sherlock just glared at her as John smiled at the pair of them

"Okay. You're unattached. Like me." He looked at his plate then noticed Charlie looking at him frowning

"I mean not with you obviously, I mean he doesn't have many….ehh.." John now stuttered as Sherlock was looking at him as well. Almost giving him a look that said _chose you next words carefully _

"I mean that you two seam close and I would imagine that any girlfriend or boyfriend would find that a bit difficult to have a relationship with" Charlie narrowed her eyes slightly but nodded

"Yeah I guess you're right" John gulped running out of things to say

"Fine. Good." He replied pathetically and continued eating. Sherlock looked at him

"John, um ... I think you should know that I consider myself married to my work, and while I'm flattered by your interest, I'm really not looking for any ..." John looked up in alarm while Charlie sat back and watched the older man flail trying to stop Sherlock from continuing

"No. No, I'm not asking. No." John stumbled on his words, he cleared his throat

"I'm just saying, it's all fine." Charlie grinned looking at the two of them

"Good. Thank you." He nodded to John then turned his attention back to the street. John looked at Charlie and his expression was almost saying "_What was that about?" _ Charlie shrugged at him and smirked

"Look across the street. Taxi." Sherlock said drawing their focus outside, Charlie leaned over to get a better view as John twisted in his seat to look behind him. Sure enough there was a taxi parked on the side of the road with its back window facing the restaurant

"It's stopped." Charlie commented

"Nobody getting in, and nobody getting out." Sherlock agreed, they watched as a man in the back seat looked through the side window as if trying to see somebody particular.

"Why a taxi? Oh, that's clever. Is it clever? Why is it clever?" He whispered to Charlie

"I dunno, maybe it's so the police can't trace a car registration to his name. The less there is about him, the harder it is for police to find him?" Charlie offered her deduction. Sherlock contemplated this. It was a plausible explanation.

"That's him?" John asked

"Don't stare." Sherlock instructed him, John turned around

"You're both staring."

"We can't all stare." Sherlock said getting to his feet, he grabbed his coat and scarf and headed for the door, Charlie and John following behind the former realising that John didn't have his walking stick

Outside the door, Sherlock shrugged himself into his coat while keeping his eyes fixed on the taxi. The passenger continues to look around him, then turns and looks out the back window. His gaze falls on the restaurant and he looks at it for a few moments while Sherlock stares back at him, then the man turns towards the front of the vehicle and the taxi begins to pull away from the kerb. Charlie watched from Sherlock's side. Sherlock immediately heads towards it without bothering to check the road that he's running into and is almost run over by a car coming from his left. The driver slams on the brakes and stopped the car honking. Charlie's heart jumped to her mouth as Sherlock jumped onto the bonnet and slid off landing on his feet running. Charlie mentally cursed him and ran around the front of the car watching for any other traffic hazards.

"Sorry." She head John call from behind her as he ran after the pair. Sherlock stopped and watched the taxi drive off as John caught up to them.

"I've got the cab number." John said confidently

"Good for you." Sherlock muttered, he brought his hands to his head and concentrated. Charlie knew he was going to his mind palace looking a map references as she listened to his rapid fire of directions and mutterings

"Right turn, one way, road works, traffic lights, bus lane, pedestrian crossing, left turn only, traffic lights." His eyes shot open, Charlie assumed he had found a route for them to take she watched as he lifted his head and saw a man unlocking the door to a nearby building. Charlie was on Sherlock's tail as he raced over towards the man and shoved him out of the way and charged into the building

"Oi!" The man called back

"Sorry." John said to him

"John stop saying sorry there's no time" Charlie called back to him running up the stairs

"Sorry, right sorry" John apologised as he ran after her

The three of them race up the stairs and out onto a metal spiral fire escape staircase leading to the roof_. 'The lanky git'_, both Charlie and John thought as he took the steps two or even three at a time as John and Charlie struggles to keep up with him.

"Come on, you two" Sherlock called behind him

"Well I'm sorry we don't have the legs of a baby giraffe" Charlie yelled as John laughed behind her.

As they reached top of the stairs Sherlock ran to the edge and looked over before seeing a shorter metal spiral staircase leading down the side of the building to another door one floor lower. He raced down the stairs and climbs onto the railing before leaping across the gap to the next building. Charlie groaned and willed her legs to push faster leaping over the railing and bending her knee's with the impact of landing onto the next roof just seconds after Sherlock as John scrambled onto the railing and followed them. Sherlock rans across to the other side of the roof and again leaps across to the next building. Charlie who was now struggling to catch her breath and run in her low heeled boots. (She had not been expecting to be partaking in parkour that night she thought sarcastically) all but flung herself onto the next roof, vaguely aware that John had skidded to a halt at the view of how big the gap is.

"Come on, John. We're losing him!" Sherlock called back Charlie stopped and looked at John

"Come on just tap into your Spiderman powers and jump" Charlie called. John backed up a few paces and braced himself. Taking a run-up leap he landed on the other roof panting slightly

"You do know Spiderman's name was Peter not John" he panted, she just shrugged

"And Clark Kent's glasses actually worked as a disguise, now come on" she pulled his sleeve as they ran after Sherlock. They dropped down onto a walkway along the side of the building, they ran forwards Sherlock still in the lead. They fly down another metal staircase then run to a ledge and drop down into an alleyway before running onwards again. Charlie's legs were on fire as her hair whipped behind her with the wind and the running she could head John's labour breath and feel Sherlock's determination. He led both Charlie and John onwards; they turned and raced down the last part of the alley only to see the taci driving past the end, heading left

"Ah, no!" Sherlock cried angrily, without breaking their stride they raced out of the alley way. Sherlock turning right and John turning left. While Charlie stopped looking at John

"This way." Charlie called, John turned around and the two of them chased after Sherlock

"How is it that he knows which way to go"

"Don't question it John just be thankful that he does and keep up" Charlie panted

They head down more alleyways and side streets towards the interception point in Wardour Street and finally, at the precise point which Sherlock had predicted he races out of a side street and hurls himself into the path of the approaching cab, which screeches to a halt as he crashes hard into the bonnet. Charlie sighed with relief and clutched her knee's doubling over trying to catch her breath as were Sherlock and John. Sherlock scrabbled in his left coat pocket and pulls out an I.D. badge and flashes it at the driver as he runs to the right hand side of the cab. Charlie rolled her eyes still panting

"You've…got…to be….kidding…me" She gasped

"Police! Open her up!" Sherlock yelled at the driver. He pants heavily and rips the door open and stares at the passenger who Charlie felt anxiety radiate off him at the prospect of being stopped by the police. Sherlock sighed in exasperation and straightened up

"No." he leaned down again to look at the passenger

"Teeth, tan: what – Californian?" He asked the man, looking at the floor Charlie looked around and saw a suitcase. Well that was a solid alibi.

"L.A., Santa Monica. Just arrived." He grimaced

"How can you possibly know that?" John asked

"The luggage." He pointed down at the suitcase

"It's probably your first trip to London right; going by your final destination and the route the cabbie was taking you?" Charlie asked the passenger in a friendly tone

"Trying to see all the streets of the old city" he niceness masked her raging anger at the fact that they just changed a normal taxi cab in a man wild goose chase

"Sorry – are you three the police?" his American accent made Charlie even more annoyed

"Yeah." Sherlock flashed the badge briefly

"Everything all right?

"Yeah." The passenger smiled. Sherlock paused. As Charlie waited to see how he would end the conversation. Then she watched as his fake smiled greeted his face

"Welcome to London." And with that he walked away Charlie smiled and walked with him

"I can't believe you made me do that" She said through gritted teeth

"Even I must admit that was not the outcome I was expecting"

"We must have missed something" Charlie reasoned as John walked up to them

"Basically just a cab that happened to slow down." John said he too was irritated that he just chased the wrong cab

"Basically." Charlie spat running her hands through her hair. A trait she picked up when she was stressed

"Not the murderer." John stated the obvious

"Not the murderer, no." Sherlock agreed

"Wrong country, good alibi." John commented

"I thought the same thing" Charlie agreed with him

"As they go." Sherlock said switching the I.D card from one hand to another

"Hey, where-where did you get this?" John reached out for the badge as Sherlock released it

"Right, Detective Inspector Lestrade?"

"He pickpockets him when he's annoying. You can keep that one; He's got about twenty in his flat." Charlie explained. John looked at the card then started laughing slightly

"What?" Sherlock asked at John sudden change of mood

"Nothing, just: "Welcome to London"." Charlie started giggling along with Sherlock. She look down the road and saw a police officer walking to the passenger who had gotten out and was point to the

"Er boys!" Charlie pointed at the police officer

"Got your breath back?" Sherlock asked John

"Ready when you are." And with that the three of them ran down the road away from the possibility of being arrested

They arrived back at 221B all of them breathing heavily, they hung their coats and jackets on the hooks on the wall while Sherlock draped his across the bottom of the bannister. As John and Sherlock lent against the wall. Charlie sat on the bottom step and lent against the stair rails

"Okay, that was ridiculous." John breathed as they were still trying to catch their breath

"That was the most ridiculous thing I've ever done."

"And you invaded Afghanistan." Sherlock pointed out, John giggled as Charlie gave a tired smile her breath returning to normal as Sherlock laughed along with John

"That wasn't just me." Sherlock just chuckled, offering Charlie a hand which she took as he pulled her to her feet.

"Why aren't we back at the restaurant?" John asked

"Oh, they can keep an eye out. It was a long shot anyway." He said dismissively becoming serious again

"So what were we doing there?" Charlie smirked looking at Sherlock who cleared his throat

"Oh, just passing the time." Charlie said putting her hands on her hips

"And proving a point." Sherlock said

"What point?"

"You." They both said. Charlie smiled as Sherlock called towards Mrs Hudson's flat

"Mrs Hudson! Doctor Watson will take the room upstairs."

"Says who?" John asked confused

"Says the man at the door." John turned his head as there were three knocks, he turned back to Sherlock and Charlie surprised. They both smiled. He stared at them for a moment then went to answer the door. To find Angelo standing outside

"Sherlock texted me." He said holding up John's cane

"He said you forgot this." John looked at the cane in surprise then took it off the other man

"Ah." He looked back at the consulting detective and the empath who were both grinning

"Er, thank you. Thank you." He closed the door and turned back. Charlie's smiled dropped as she felt Mrs Hudson's emotions skyrocketing in waves of fear and anxiety. In an instant she was by the other woman's side wrapping a comforting arm around the older woman who was in tears.

"Sherlock, what have you done?"

**Oooooo suspense, left you on a cliff hanger ;) and just a head's up. Next Chapter we may possibly see what Charlie is like when someone ticks her off *cough cough* Donovan *cough cough* **

**Have a nice day/night. Don't forget to review on your way out xx **


	7. Stress Under Pressure

**Hello there! Back again with a new chapter, this one I must say is my favourite one so far, I just love writing cat fights. So as I hinted last time we will see a more let's say different side to Charlie. I have her back story all figured out and more about her friendship with Sherlock which I will slowly bring throughout each chapters. So I hope you all enjoy this chapter. Again reviews are always welcome if you have ideas about Charlie or your own thoughts on her friendship with Sherlock. **

**-VioletSparks Xx**

"Mrs Hudson?" Sherlock looked at the older woman then to Charlie who was as confused as he was.

"Upstairs." Was all the older woman said. Sherlock and John hurried up the stairs,

"Go with them love" Mrs Hudson said sniffing. Charlie gave her shoulders a squeeze before bounding up the stairs. The noise from Sherlock's flat suggested there were more people than Charlie had estimated. When she reached the door Sherlock was already demanding answers as to why his flat was currently being searched.

"What are you doing?" Sherlock growled, Charlie came and stood next to him glaring down at Lestrade who was sitting very comfortably in Sherlock's seat.

"Well, I knew you'd find the case. I'm not stupid." Charlie rolled her eyes,

"You can't just break into my flat."

"And make yourself at home" Charlie added, Sherlock nodded. Lestrade sat up straighter no longer sitting in a lazily position, Charlie looked around at the police officers that were searching the place she was praying the Donovan wasn't here, that would just make things worse.

"And you can't withhold evidence. And I didn't break into your flat." Lestrade argued back

"Well, what do you call this then?" Sherlock gestured to the mayhem around him, John looked around unsure of the whole situation. Lestrade looked around to before settling on an answer

"It's a drugs bust." Charlie glanced at Sherlock who's face fell slightly. She narrowed her eyes as he looked a bit sheepish at her remembering what she had said last time

"_Are you kidding me with this Sherlock" Charlie held out the bag at Sherlock who was curled on the couch looking rather dishevelled. _

"_Charlotte please I need them" He pleaded his voice was quite, like a child pleading to have his favourite toy back _

"_No what you need is help, Sherlock why would you do this?" Charlie said through gritted teeth _

"_BECAUSE IT HELPS ME" Sherlock roared jumping up and storming over to Charlie, she gasped loudly and retreated towards the fire place. The stood in silence for a moment, both of them shocked at what just happened. Never in the years that they had known each other had things ever gotten this bad _

"_Fine have them" She threw the bag at his chest, it bounced off and fell to the floor. Charlie walked up to him as she stood toe to toe with him _

"_But don't expect me to put up with this bull shit, this is the third and last time I will turn a blind eye to this Sherlock" She pushed past him making sure her shoulder came in contact with his chest, he stumbled back with the force. She paused at the door turning around as he was still facing the window _

"_But when you decide to put this behind you and grow up, when my best friend decides to stop dicking around, then you know where to find me" And with that she stormed down the stairs tears forming in her eyes as Sherlock stood staring down at the bag on the floor and sighed. _

"Seriously?! This guy, a junkie?! Have you met him?!" Charlie snapped out of the memory, on one side she was touched at the level of loyalty John had for Sherlock in just two days, but on the other hand she was trying very hard not to lose her cool at this precise moment. Sherlock looked at John then at Charlie, he saw the anger in her eyes and quickly realised that she was very close to losing it

"John ..." he tried to stop him

"I'm pretty sure you could search this flat all day, you wouldn't find anything you could call recreational." John said in full confidence not noticing the change of mood of both Sherlock and Charlie

"John, you probably want to shut up now."

"Yeah, but come on ..." He looked at Sherlock for a moment then at Charlie then realises how serious both there expressions are.

"No."

"What?"

"You?"

"Shut up!" Sherlock said angrily quickly glancing at Charlie then at Lestrade

"I'm not your sniffer dog." He said to the latter

"No, Anderson's my sniffer dog." He said nodding to the kitchen

"What, An..." Charlie whipped her head around and saw the rat of a man raising his hand in a sarcastic greeting .

"Anderson, what are you doing here on a drugs bust?" Sherlock seethed

"Oh, I volunteered." Anderson said venom dripping from his words

"Oh I bet you did" Charlie spat

"They all did. They're not strictly speaking on the drugs squad, but they're very keen." Lestrade said, Charlie looked and her anger flew through the roof as Donovan came in holding a small glass jar with eye balls in it, one of Sherlock's latest experiments

"Are these human eyes?" She asked

"Put those back!" Sherlock shouted

"They were in the microwave!"

"It's an experiment."

"But I'm sure there is room for your eyes Sally," Charlie spat

"Oh hello witch" Donovan smiled sarcastically

"Call me witch again and I swear it will be the last time" Charlie growled marching up to Donovan, the room went quite as everyone stoped, Sherlock at John stood behind Charlie just in case the woman did pounce on the police officer, even Lestrade stood from the chair, just in case things escalated. Charlie could feel everyone's uncertainty about what was happening in front of them but mostly Sherlock and John's concern for her.

"Oh what are you going to do, tell me what I'm feeling?" Charlie narrowed her eyes and she felt Donovan become more confident at her statement.

"No but telling someone my personal information about my past, that you had no right to tell, is an invasion of privacy" Charlie narrowed her eyes as Donovan swallowed slightly her confidence dipping slowly.

"Oh whatever, go back to your freak and your new pet, you always had a way with men didn't you Charlotte" Donovan spat

"I'm not the one who is fucking their co-worker" Charlie fumed. Anderson narrowed his eyes

"Why you little harlot" He snarled, we went for her, but was stopped by Sherlock who glared at Anderson

"Go right ahead, or do I need to remind you about what happened last time" Anderson backed off not wanting another punch to the face. John was very aware how serious the situation had become, he made a mental note to find out what Donovan had really done to Charlie in the past. John thought the whole thing was getting out of hand and decided to intervene

"Charlie come on, she's not worth it" John gently wrapped his hand around the younger woman's elbow. Donovan smirked at Charlie as John pulled her away

"Always being rescued aye Charlotte" She snickered, Sherlock turned to Donovan and was about to threaten her when Lestrade cut in

"DONOVAN THAT IS ENOUGH." Everyone whipped around to face the officer

"Go back to the station now, we have enough people"

"But sir…" She protested

"NOW" Donovan took a deep breath and walked towards Charlie who was still being held by John

"See ya around witch" She whispered Charlie glared at the woman as she left the flat. Everyone was silent Charlie could feel an over whelming emotion of concern from both Sherlock and John and confusion from everyone else and hatred from Anderson. She gently pulled out of John's grip and sat on the couch, with her head in her hands. She felt Sherlock walk over to her

"Alright?" he muttered in a low voice as Lestrade ordered his men to keep looking, Charlie didn't get to reply as she lifted her head as Lestrade interrupted

"Or you could help us properly and I'll stand them down."

"This is childish." Sherlock said as he started to pace around, glancing at Charlie as John sat next to her

"Well, I'm dealing with a child. Sherlock, this is our case. I'm letting you in, but you do not go off on your own. Clear?"

"Oh, what, you set up a pretend drugs bust to bully him?" Charlie scoffed

"It stops being pretend if they find anything." Lestrade raised an eye brow at her

"I am clean!" Sherlock shouted

"Is your flat? All of it?" he looked between Sherlock and Charlie

"I don't even smoke." He unbuttoned the cuff of his shirt and reviled the nicotine patch on his lower arm

"Neither do I." Lestrade did the same showing his own patch, Sherlock rolled his eyes and pulled his sleeve down, his eyes met Charlies who immediately looked to the ground.

"So let's work together. We've found Rachel." That caught all three's attention

"Who is she?"

"Jennifer Wilson's only daughter."

"Her daughter? Why would she write her daughter's name? Why?"

"Never mind that. We found the case. According to someone, the murderer has the case, and we found it in the hands of our favourite psychopath." Anderson said accusingly

"I'm not a psychopath, Anderson. I'm a high-functioning sociopath. Do your research." Sherlock remarked, he was still holding back from punching the man from his earlier remark, he gave Anderson a withering look before turning back to Lestrade

"You need to bring Rachel in. You need to question her. I need to question her."

"She's dead."

"Excellent!" John looked up shocked at Sherlock's comment then at Charlie who rolled her eyes and sighed

"How, when and why? Is there a connection? There has to be." Sherlock questioned

"Well, I doubt it, since she's been dead for fourteen years. Technically she was never alive. Rachel was Jennifer Wilson's stillborn daughter, fourteen years ago." The tone of the room became somber, John grimaced sadly while Charlie looked at Sherlock, could her feeling of satisfaction be that she was going to see the daughter she never got to meet? Charlie rana hand through her hair, this case was becoming increasingly difficult to handle

"No, that's ... that's not right. How ... Why would she do that? Why?" Sherlock mumbled to himself

"Why would she think of her daughter in her last moments? Yup – sociopath; I'm seeing it now." Anderson quipped. Charlie glared at him still sat on the couch

"She didn't think about her daughter. She scratched her name on the floor with her fingernails. She was dying. It took effort."

"It would have hurt." Charlie added standing up glaring at Anderson as Sherlock paced the room again as John stood up next to Charlie

"You said that the victims all took the poison themselves, that he makes them take it. Well, maybe he ... I don't know, talks to them? Maybe he used the death of her daughter somehow." He looked between them Charlie nodded in agreement

"Yeah, but that was ages ago. Why would she still be upset?" There was a beat where everyone looked stopped and looked at Sherlock, he looked around and realised that everyone had stopped. He looked awkwardly at John and Charlie

"Not good?" He asked them, John looked around then agreed

"Bit not good, yeah."

"Try the time you used your mothers favourite dress for a pirate flag" Charlie muttered smirking making sure only her John and Sherlock heard that. John chuckled he really did need to ask her about Sherlock's pirate fantasy. Sherlock brushed off her comment

"Yeah, but if you were dying ... if you'd been murdered: in your very last few seconds what would you say?"

"Please, God, let me live."

"Oh, use your imagination!"

"I don't have to." Charlie gulped feeling a wave of pain coming from John, he was coming from past experiences that neither her nor Sherlock could understand, Sherlock looked at her for a moment then cleared his throat

"Yeah, but if you were clever, really clever ... Jennifer Wilson running all those lovers: she was clever." He began to pace again

"She's trying to tell us something." At that moment Charlie saw Mrs Hudson at the door

"Isn't the doorbell working? Your taxi's here, Sherlock." Charlie frowned and looked at her

"I didn't order a taxi. Go away."

"Sherlock" Charlie scolded him, he waved her off and continued pacing

"Oh, dear. They're making such a mess. What are they looking for?" she came and stood next to Charlie

"It's a drugs bust, Mrs Hudson." John explained

"But they're just for my hip. They're herbal soothers." The older woman said anxiously, Charlie would have laughed if the situation wasn't so important. Charlie was about to reply when Sherlock cut her off with his back to everyone

"Shut up, everybody, shut up! Don't move, don't speak, don't breathe. Charlotte I know I'm being rude but not now, I'm trying to think. Anderson, face the other way. You're putting me off."

"What? My face is?!" Anderson said clearly confused

"Everybody quiet and still. Anderson, turn your back." Lestrade ordered

"Oh, for God's sake!" Anderson started to complain

"Your back, now, please!" Lestrade yelled, Charlie smirked as Anderson turned away

"Come on, think. Quick!" Sherlock muttered

"What about your taxi?" Mrs Hudson said confused

"MRS HUDSON!" Sherlock boomed

"SHERLOCK" Charlie screamed as Mrs Hudson hurried down the stairs, she felt the older woman's fright at being yelled at but she was halfway down the stairs before Charlie could comfort her. Sherlock and Charlie looked at each other for a few moments both of them wearing thin under the stress that the night was presenting them.

"Oh." Charlie felt Sherlock come to a realisation as he smiled

"Ah! She was clever, clever, yes!" He walked across the room

"She's cleverer than you lot and she's dead. Do you see, do you get it? She didn't lose her phone, she never lost it. She planted it on him." He continued to pace, which was getting on Charlie's nerves. That man could never stand still for long.

"When she got out of the car, she knew that she was going to her death. She left the phone in order to lead us to her killer."

"But how?" Lestrade asked

"Wha...? What do you mean, how?" Charlie rolled her eyes

"Sherlock not all of us are raging sociopaths with the highest IQ in the room, please explain to the rest of us" Charlie pointed out

"Rachel!" Sherlock said triumphantly, as every started at him blankly

"Nope going to need a bit more" Charlie pressed

"Don't you see? Rachel!" Charlie looked at him for a minuet as he started at her, willing her to catch up to him, he grinned as she smiled slightly and nodded. He looked around at everyone else who were still in the dark about the whole thing, he laughed in disbelief.

"Oh, look at you lot. You're all so vacant. Is it nice not being me? It must be so relaxing." He laughed looking at Charlie who he saw did not share his amusement he quickly checked himself and continued more sternly

"Rachel is not a name."

"Then what is it?" John said matching his tone.

"John, on the luggage, there's a label. E-mail address." Sherlock ordered, John looked at the label and read out

"Er, jennie dot pink at mephone dot org dot uk." Charlie came and stood behind Sherlock who was sat at the table at his computer.

"Oh, I've been too slow. She didn't have a laptop, which means she did her business on her phone, so it's a smartphone, it's e-mail enabled." Charlie watched as he pulled up Mephone's website and typed in the address.

"So there was a website for her account. The username is her e-mail address ..." Charlie watched as he started to type in the password box

"... and all together now, the password is?"

"Rachel." John said standing next to Charlie who was grinning

"So we can read her e-mails. So what?" Anderson jeered, Charlie threw him a venomous look over her shoulder

"Anderson, don't talk out loud. You lower the I.Q. of the whole street." Sherlock remarked putting the other man in his place

"We can do much more than just read her e-mails. It's a smartphone, it's got GPS, which means if you lose it you can locate it online. She's leading us directly to the man who killed her." He continued to explain

"Unless he got rid of it." Lestrade offered his thoughts

"We know he didn't." John explained

"Come on, come on. Quickly!" Sherlock muttered as Charlie put her hand on his shoulder as they watched the gps track the phone.

"Sherlock, dear. This taxi driver ..." Charlie heard Mrs Hudson's voice behind her, she moved out of the way as Sherlock went over to her

"Mrs Hudson, isn't it time for your evening soother?" Charlie rolled her eyes and sat in the chair as John came and stood closer to her they watch the clock spinning telling them that the phones location will be reviled in under three minuets

"We need to get vehicles, get a helicopter." Charlie heard Sherlock say, she felt his urgency to catch the killer and John anxiety increase as he watched the clock

"We're gonna have to move fast. This phone battery won't last for ever." Sherlock continued

"We'll just have a map reference, not a name."

"It's a start!" Charlie was distracted at the computer which had now zoomed into the location of the phone, she gasped slightly and looked at John who was equally confused and shocked as she was

"Sherlock ..." John called

"It narrows it down from just anyone in London. It's the first proper lead that we've had." Sherlock said to Lestrade

"Sherlock" Charlie barked at him, her voice caught his attention as he saw the computer had its location he hurried over and leaned over Charlie's shoulder lowering his head to her level

"What is it? Quickly, where?"

"It's here." Charlie whispered

"It's in two two one Baker Street." John agreed with her, Charlie stood up as Sherlock did

"How can it be here? " Charlie muttered looking at him as he frowned at her

"Well, maybe it was in the case when you brought it back and it fell out somewhere." Lestrade offered

"What, and I didn't notice it? Me? I didn't notice?" Charlie didn't even comment on how ignorant he was being.

"Anyway, we texted him and he called back." John said now sitting in the chair

"Guys, we're also looking for a mobile somewhere here, belonged to the victim ..." Lestrade said to the officers. Charlie stood in front of Sherlock her back to the door, she felt him become more aware of what was going on, he looked around with a lost expression on his face which scared her. Charlie's eyes snap to Sherlock's chest as a message tone dings from it, he pulls out the phone and looks at the text which she could not see. She watches as his eyes drift to the door, she turns to look but only see's Mrs Hudson.

"Sherlock?" Charlie asks wearily

"You okay?" John asked

"What? Yeah, yeah, I-I'm fine." Sherlock stutters, Charlie feels him become slightly panicked for a split second

"So, how can the phone be here?" John asked

"Dunno." Sherlock said still looking at the door way

"I'll try it again." John said

"Good idea." Sherlock heads towards the door, but a hand on his upper arm stops him

"What are you doing?" Charlie hissed

"I need you to stay here" Sherlock muttered

"What?" Charlie chocked

"I need you to stay with John, please just do as I say"

"Sherlock" Charlie warned

"Charlotte, please" Charlie sighed she had never heard Sherlock's voice be so calm and pleading before. She let go of his arms and stepped back

"Be safe" He smiled and nodded before heading out the door

"Where are you going?" John called after witnessing the moment the two shared

"Fresh air. Just popping outside for a moment. Won't be long."

"You sure you're all right?"

"I'm fine." He called back hurrying down the stairs, John came and stood next to Charlie as they watched him

"Should we be worried?" He asked her in a low voice

"We should be very worried John"

**DUN DUN DUUUUUUUUUUNNNNNNN. Again I left you all on a cliff hanger I'M SORRY ! But it's such a good way to end a chapter! Just a reminder to review on your way out. Have a lovey day **


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